Language mentoring programs at RMIT University

The current trend for larger class sizes and reduced contact hours brings challenges for tertiary language students, where smaller group tuition is more effective and regular sustained practice is essential. It is likely that these challenges contribute to the high attrition rate of beginning language students. The benefits of peer teaching are well known and establishing peer academic mentoring programs among tertiary language students at RMIT University was seen as a possible solution to the afore-mentioned challenges. The programs consist of intermediate, advanced or native speakers of Chinese, French, Greek, Japanese and Spanish mentoring beginner students for up to two extra-curricular hours a week, assisting them with specific language- or study-related difficulties and/or providing extra practice activities related to course content. In place since semester 2 2009 (French) and since semester 1 2011 (Chinese, Greek, Japanese and Spanish), the programs have been found to be an effective way of enhancing the language learning experience for both mentors and mentees, and the feedback received is consistently and overwhelmingly positive from all participants.